After missing Interstellar in that immersive format more than ten years ago, the 34-year-old educator from El Paso, Texas, reserved four tickets a year before the film's release. For him, the expense was entirely justified.
"I compare it to the first time I saw a Michelangelo statue in person," he said. "You can see the folds in the skin, the bumps in the hand - and the magnitude of the size - which made me stop in my tracks and appreciate the sculpture and the craftsmanship."
The Odyssey marks the first feature film to be wholly captured using IMAX film cameras. While more than 1,500 IMAX screens exist globally, the vast majority employ digital projection. They search resale platforms and Reddit for seats and journey across the globe to view the picture as Nolan meant it to be seen.
"This movie was filmed for this format. It's like going to see the Mona Lisa in person versus a reprint," said Kaylin Bergeson. She made the trip from Orlando to New York City to attend a 7 a.m. screening at Lincoln Square, arriving just as the film premiered.
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Because she couldn't get time off, the 33-year-old went directly to the airport after finishing her overnight shift at the production company she works for. She remained awake for more than 24 hours. She calculated that the journey would have cost around $300 if she hadn't used reward points. "Everyone thinks I'm crazy," she said.
The movie became her favorite release of the year, and she intends to watch it again. She described it as "visually spectacular" and said it was "absolutely worth seeing in Imax, if you can."
The production budget for the film was reported as $250 million. Filming entirely in IMAX necessitated a new, quieter camera design, adding to the already substantial expenses of working with large-format film. Nolan disclosed using 2.1 million feet of IMAX film, which Variety estimated amounted to more than $3 million just for the raw stock.
Only 25 U.S. theaters can screen The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX film format. Among them, New York City's AMC Lincoln Square features one of the largest screens.
Audiences are willing to go great distances because the viewing experience is dramatically different. "It goes through the roof. There's no beginning and end; it surrounds you," said Bismah Zabih.
She and her husband took a weekend excursion from Tampa to New York City, costing $1,200, to see the film. "So, you're lost in the story, you're lost in the movie." An IMAX spokesperson told Bloomberg that demand exceeded expectations, with some venues booked solid through a five-week period. In response, the Lincoln Square theater in New York scheduled extra showings at 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. to handle the demand.
Christopher Lourie said that after posting a ticket on Reddit last Sunday, he got five offers in 15 minutes. He ultimately sold it for $60 - double his original cost - though he believes he could have asked for significantly more.
A strategy that worked for Husnain Ramzan involved heading to a less crowded city. The 26-year-old spent £300 on a flight from London to Manchester. The U.K. has only three 70mm IMAX screens, and he wanted to avoid the intense competition for seats in London. "It was beyond worth it," Ramzan said. "I'd do it a million times over."
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